Mark Sowerby

Mark Sowerby is the Founder and Managing Director of Blue Sky Alternative Investments Limited. As Australia’s first diversified alternative asset manager, Blue Sky has changed the investment landscape by opening up a wider range of options for investors.

The company, which began in a small New Farm office with just $200,000 in capital, now manages over $1 billion worth of assets, has a team of 70 staff and is listed on the ASX with a market capitalisation of more than $230m.

Through Blue Sky, Sowerby has made a significant contribution to the economy by driving entrepreneurship through private equity and venture capital, and educating and leading growth in the alternatives sector.

In 2013, Blue Sky won the Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Award for Growth and the overall Platinum Award for its contribution to Brisbane and its economy. In 2015, Sowerby was awarded the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Queensland (listed category).

Sowerby prides himself on helping people maximise their potential, and encourages everyone at Blue Sky to take themselves out of their comfort zone, providing opportunities for staff to undertake challenging physical and mental pursuits. This is an initiative where he leads by example: after two years of training, Sowerby swam the English Channel in August 2015, testing his mental and physical boundaries more than ever before.